


Accepting

by alafaye



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-12-17
Updated: 2012-12-17
Packaged: 2017-11-21 08:04:58
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,504
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/595411
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/alafaye/pseuds/alafaye
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The past makes the present difficult, but one choice can make the future better.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Accepting

**Author's Note:**

> Written for the 2012 holiday challenge at the LJ community, adventchallenge. Prompt is "family". Also covers the "office/workplace romance" for my cotton candy bingo.

Ron was ignoring him and had been all day. Yes, hot tea all over one's lap did hurt, but it hadn't been Harry's fault. Technically because it wasn't his fault their dog liked to trip him up at the worst moments, right? Harry crossed his arms and pouted.

"Stop it," Ron said. He looked up with a fond look. "It isn't fair."

Harry slumped in his seat, trying to look dejected. "Sorry."

Ron sighed and scrubbed a hand through his hair. "What's got you in a fit anyway?"

Harry raised an eyebrow, asking silently _really?_ , but Ron continued to wait patiently. Harry sighed. "The tea this morning--aren't you still mad? You've been ignoring me all day."

Ron flushed and coughed. "Sorry, love. I didn't mean to--got a lot on my mind. I forgave you for the tea minutes after it happened."

"Oh," Harry said. He shifted, uncomfortable now that he knew. "Want to talk about anything?"

Ron shook his head. "Nah. Got to work through it on my own. But I'll stop ignoring you, all right?"

Harry smiled. "Ta."

Silence fell again in the office as they both finished up long overdue paperwork until they received an alert from one of Harry's charms. 

"Is that--?" Ron asked.

"The McKinsy case?" Harry finished. "Yeah. Looks like he's back in London."

Ron unrolled the map at the back of the office. "Where'd the charm activate?"

"Mouth of the Thames," Harry said. "Came in through a boat?"

Ron nodded, marking the map. "Probably. So we'll need to find out what boats came in and get the passenger list."

Another charm went off. "Charring Cross," Harry called. "Apparated?"

"Likely," Ron said. "Wait, didn't we have something in his file about the road?"

Harry pulled McKinsy's file out from under a thick stack and quickly flipped through the pages. "Aha!" he cheered, pulling up a sheet of paper. "That's why we set the charm there. His brother-in-law lives there. Or did--the brother-in-law died of a heart attack two months ago. The building has been kept for McKinsy by his brother-in-law's will."

Ron was tapping his fingers on his legs, eyes narrowed. "Stake out?"

"You think?"

"If the place is abandoned, it's a perfect hiding spot. He won't have to worry about anyone turning him in or accidentally slipping word about him being back. And the place has a basement, right? We know there's a potions lab set up already--it would be perfect for him."

Harry nodded. "Right. Let's go let Henry know we're leaving."

~~~

Ron was stomping his feet, breath misting in front of him. "Of course tonight the temperature would drop, wouldn't it?"

Harry pulled Ron closer by the edge of his jacket until they were side by side, arms pressed close. "That's the way of it."

When they had arrived on the road, they'd discovered that McKinsy hadn't left again--at least, his magical signature could not be traced at any other point since he'd arrived. A quick scan had revealed that the front door had been tried and the back door opened and relocked. Then, nothing. They'd been waiting two hours since, night quickly falling in December.

"Don't suppose he just walked off, do you?" Ron asked.

Harry shook his head, doubtful. "Nah. If he'd go anywhere, it would be somewhere with wizards and we haven't recorded his signature anywhere else in the city where wizards live."

Ron sighed. "Going to be a long night."

Harry half smiled. Silence fell around them again for another twenty minutes. Ron, never one who could get used to silence and waiting, spoke up. "Mum wants to know if we're coming to Christmas."

Harry shuffled his feet. "Yeah?"

Ron nodded and reached out for Harry's hand. Ron’s hand’s warmed him; it was strong and reassuring. "I think she wants to make amends."

Harry took a deep breath. "How do you mean?"

"She said in her letter, that while she'll never understand how we went from Hermione and Ginny to each other, she accepts us and still loves us," Ron said. "Ginny's going to be on the continent with her team and Hermione is still in Australia. Charlie will be home, though." Ron licked his lips. "It'll be nice. Being at the Burrow for Christmas."

"You just want your mum's cooking," Harry teased, bumping Ron's shoulder with his own.

Ron frowned. "Harry, I'm being serious. Don't you miss it--the holidays there, with everyone?"

Harry looked away, uncomfortable. He'd always felt guilty when Ron missed out on parties, celebrations and holidays with the Weaselys after they got together. Harry was the one who broke up with Ginny and he was the one who kissed Ron when Ron had stormed into his flat, demanding to know why Harry had done it. It'd been the sanest thing to go through his head when Ron had asked. 

_"That's why, Ron. Because I'm gay and I'm a little in love with you. I refused to keep pretending to be something else when I'm with Ginny. It isn't fair to her."_

_Ron's mouth worked furiously as he struggled to come up with an answer. "I'm with Hermione, Harry. I'm not--"_

_Harry held up his hands, his anger cooling off. Settling more into his usual resigned, unrequited love for his best friend. "I'm not asking you to. I just...didn't want to keep lying to everyone."_

_Ron nodded once and left._

_He didn't come back or write for two months. Harry quietly separated from the Weasleys. He sometimes wondered if they ever would consider him part of the family. Ginny moved all of her stuff out and Harry tried to start anew, going to different places; tried new hobbies and tried to date. It helped a little, but always, at the back of his mind, he wondered if Ron would ever speak to him again._

_Until Ron visited one night, kissing him hello. Harry raised his eyebrows. "Okay. Hello."_

_Ron smiled a little. "Here's the thing, all right? I've always been a little in love with you myself. Hermione made me realize it. When I told her why you broke up with Ginny, she asked me if I really wanted to be with her now that I knew about you. And I've thinking about it a lot, Harry. Dating you and...other things."_

_Harry gulped. "Y-yeah? What other things?"_

_Ron blushed. "Making love. But also wondering if we could have something together, you know, a future. And I think we do. Hermione and I broke up last week. So I could be with you."_

_"You broke up with Hermione?" Harry asked, shocked. "But you two--you've--"_

_Ron waved his hand. "I love her, all right? I won't deny that. But I love you more and Hermione technically broke up with me. She told me to go after you. She gave us her blessing."_

_"Oh."_

_"Yeah. Can I kiss you again? I really liked it."_

_Harry chuckled and nodded. There would be more to talk about. Later. Much...later._

_Especially since Mrs. Weasley's Howler arrived a week later, demanding to know why they'd broken up two perfectly good relationships. Why they just had to give up such nice futures for one filled with uncertainty._

Regardless of Ron, Harry always felt that it was his fault they were left out of the Weasley celebrations.

"We're going," Ron said, interrupting Harry's thoughts. "I don't care what your objections are; we're going. Mum wants to accepts us--we're still her boys, you know? She loves us either way. It's just been difficult for her."

Harry sighed and resigned himself to it. He looked up to assure Ron it would be fine, but he caught sight of someone leaving the house they were watching. "Time to go!"

~~~

Harry squeezed Ron's hand in his as they straightened themselves from their tumble out of the Floo. Mrs. Weasley bustled over and gave them both tight hugs. "There you are! We missed you. Everyone's here already, we just set up in the kitchen. Come on, come on."

Ron eagerly walked into the kitchen, greeting everyone. Harry lingered, still unsure. Mrs. Weasley frowned. "Harry?"

He smiled tightly. "Yeah?"

She clucked her tongue and pulled him in for another hug. "I'm so sorry, love, that I waited so long to invite you over. I never thought you and Ron would think I didn't want to hear from you again. I have you missed so much and I wish I could have made you see that I wasn't really upset. It was just a shock, but I still should have invited you over sooner. All right? I still love you, Harry, as any mum would love her son."

Harry sniffed. "Thank you."

She squeezed him again before letting go. She wiped her eyes and huffed. "Well. That's that. Let's go eat."

Harry let her push him into the kitchen and he found a seat next to Ron. Ron smiled and rolled his eyes. He leaned over to whisper. "Told you it's fine."

Harry laughed.


End file.
